


(Don't You) Forget About Me

by sunphroggy



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, Angst, Breakfast Club References, Detention, Eddie Kaspbrak - Freeform, Eddie Kaspbrak Loves Richie Tozier, Eddie is a blushing mess, Fluff, Getting Together, Getting high, Good Parents Maggie & Wentworth Tozier, Hes just a doofus, M/M, Mention of Child Abuse, Mention of the other Losers, Mentions of Arson, Mentions of Suicide, Richie Tozier - Freeform, Richie Tozier Loves Eddie Kaspbrak, Richie isn't a bad boy, Slow Dancing, Some Gay slurs, The Bowers Gang - Freeform, based on the breakfast club
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:22:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23839054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunphroggy/pseuds/sunphroggy
Summary: Eight hour detention. Alone in a library. Two very different boys find they have more in common than it seems.'The figure began to walk towards Eddie and as they got closer he could make out more of their features. Messy black curls that hung down over the figures face, they were tall, lanky even. In front of their eyes sat a pair of huge coke-bottle glasses that make the figures deep brown eyes slightly disproportionate to their face. Eddie could recognize those eyes anywhere.Richie Tozier.'(or: I watched the breakfast club at 3am and this came out of it)
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak & Richie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Comments: 4
Kudos: 103





	(Don't You) Forget About Me

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this when at 3am and i hope its good so  
> enjoy :)))

Sonia Kaspbrak's car came to a stop outside of Derry Highschool. Sonia was sitting in the drivers seat and her son, Eddie, was sitting uncomfortably next to her. He watched as Sonia let out a deep sigh and gripped the steering wheel so tight Eddie was almost sure it would burst.

"This is the last time you do this. You hear me, Eddie? Last. Time." The fat woman said sternly, not looking at her son.

Eddie nodded. Shaking in his seat he blurted out the words, "Yes, Momma. Last time. Promise." Which seemed to please his mother as she loosened her grip on the wheel.

"Good," she spoke quietly, "Now you get in there and use these eight hours to your advantage. Your grades have been slipping lately"

"We're not supposed to study, we just sit there and do not-" Sonia cut him off.

"Well you find something productive to do Eddie bear, I won't have you sitting there doing nothing."

"Yes Momma." He muttered, halfheartedly. They sat in silence for the next few minuets. Eddie could feel his mothers eyes baring into the side of his head.

"Well. Off you go!"

The boy moves quickly, fiddling with the door handle and grabbing a backpack off the floor of the car. He steps out of the car turning to close the door behind when his mothers hand pushes it open again.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" She calls sharply. Eddie stares blankly at her for a moment before sighing. He leaned back into the car and plants a small kiss on her check, trying to keep down the urge to gag. He moved back out of the car and slammed the door closed. The car engine roared to life again as it began to move out of the school parking lot.

Eddie turned to walk up the entrance steps to the school but he stopped when he heard the tyres of the car screech on the road and the horn honking. Eddie swiftly turned around to a figure standing in front of his mothers Ford Pinto, their arm extended towards the window as they flipped of the driver, Eddies mother.

The figure began to walk towards Eddie and as they got closer he could make out more of their features. Messy black curls that hung down over the figures face, they were tall, lanky even. In front of their eyes sat a pair of huge coke-bottle glasses that make the figures deep brown eyes slightly disproportionate to their face. Eddie could recognize those eyes anywhere.

Richie Tozier.

Eddie stiffened and hoped to god that he wasn't going to be spending eight hours in the library with Richie fucking Tozier. Because that would be so awful. Eddie heard he smokes like six boxes of cigarettes a day, what if he decides to take a smoke break right next to Eddie? What if Eddie breathes in to much and takes an asthma attack? And Eddies heard that Richie beat up a kid just because they looked at him weirdly. What if Richie beats him up? The short asthmatic has the strength of a butterfly. He wouldn't stand a chance against Richie Tozier!

"You just gonna stand there staring at me or what?"

Eddie blinked once. Twice. Until he was finally snapped back to reality by the dark haired boy snapping his fingers infant of his face. "Uh w-what?" He stuttered out.

Richie's nonchalant facial expression didn't change. "I said, are you just gonna stand there staring at me? Or are you going to go inside?"

Eddie felt his face flush in embarrassment. Was he really staring? Oh god. Now Richie was actually going to beat him up. "Oh, yeah. Yeah I'm going inside." The shorter boy mumbled. Richie raised an eyebrow and hummed in response.

And Eddie definitely didn't flinch when Richie moved past him and towards the school entrance. And he definitely wasn't going to move until he heard the door close and made sure Richie was eighteen steps ahead of him. But he never head the door close.

"Are you coming short stack?" Eddie heard Richie call from behind him. He turned and saw Richie standing, holding the door open for Eddie. The Kaspbrak boy quickly nodded and rushed towards the open door.

They walked in silence down the hallway. Richie had his hands in his jean pockets, whistling a happy tune. Eddie had his eyes glued to the floor, staring at Richie's muddy converse boots to make sure he wasn't standing too close to him. He was still in shock about having to spend eight hours with the Richie Tozier

Which was just his luck, right? The one time the boy gets detention and he has to spend it with the schools stereotypical bad boy. Eddie knew his mother would demand he scrub himself clean the moment he gets home. 'You have no idea what germs that Tozier boy carries!' She'd say. And Eddie supposed she was right. I mean, Eddies heard he's fucked people in the school bathroom. School bathroom! Do you have any idea how much germs could be crawling around in there?! And from the look of his unruly hair, Eddie could bet Richie never showers. He's practically a walking disease!

Don't think about that Eddie, you'll have an asthma attack.

___________

"I just wanna thank you two for being on time."

Mr Ritter, the principal at Derry High, stood at the front of the library. There were six table placed in two rows of three. Eddie sat in the front row of tables with his head titled down and his eyes fixed to his hands in his lap. Richie was sat in second row, directly behind Eddie. The boy would be lying if he said this didn't give him the slightest bit of anxiety.

"My watch reads seven-oh-six, which means you have seven hours and fifty four minutes left of detention. Please take this time to reflect and ponder the error of your ways." The principle holds two pens and a load of paper in his hands. From behind him Eddie can hear Richie tapping his fingers on the wooden desk.

The principle went on, "you will not talk or move from these seats." He paused and pointed a finger at Richie, "and you. Will not fall asleep."

The old man sat a bunch of paper and a pen in front of Eddie and did the same for the boy behind him.

"Usually, I would have to sit here and think about what you've done, but we're going to try something different today."

Richie had stopped tapping on the desk. "Is this a test?" He spoke loudly.

Mr Ritter ignored his comment. "I want you to write an essay describing who you think you are. It must be no less than one thousand words."

Richie groaned. Mr Ritter shot him a glare.

"When I say essay I mean essay. I do not mean one word written out one thousand times. Am I clear?"

Eddie nodded, "yes sir."

Richie scoffed. If looks could kill, Eddie sword Richie would have been dead by now from the look Mr Ritter gave him.

Mr Ritter moved towards the Tozier boy. "Am I clear Mr Tozier?"

"Crystal." He responded.

"Good." The older man said satisfied then he pointed towards the door of the library, "my office is right over there. I'll be monitoring you the whole time. So no monkey business."

No one spoke. Mr Ritter took one last look at the two before turning around and heading towards his office. Before he left, though, he kicked a small metal trash can in front of the door to keep it wedged open.

Now it was just the two boys in the library.

Eddie heard the click of Richie's pen. He no longer cared that the most dangerous guy in school was sitting behind him. He was more concerned with what the fuck he was going to write for this essay.

Who do you think you are? What the fuck was that supposed to mean?! Who did Eddie think he was?

He was a boy. He was a student.

Click

He had asthma. He was a hypochondriac, thanks to his mother.

Click

He was a friend. He had Bill and Stan. How would they describe him?

Click

Bill would say he's smart, he has lots of medical knowledge. He would say Eddies brave and practical. And Bill would probably make some comment about being fast. That he could run as fast as he talked.

Click

Stan would say he's prepared for anything and would recall the times when Eddie wore a fannypack that seemed to hold everything they ever needed. And Eddie would groan at the memory of his childhood.

ClickClick

Bill would say he's competitive. Stan would say he's a sore loser. Loser.

Click

That's what he was. A loser.

Click...Click

A fairy boy.

ClickClickClick

A queer.

ClickClickClickClick

"Oh my god! Will you shut the fuck up!"

Eddie quickly covered his mouth with his hand, his eyes wide in shock. He had turned around and was now staring straight at the boy behind him. Did he really just say that? To Richie Tozier? Dead. He's so fucking dead.

Richie was look right back at Eddie. He had a pen in his hand, mid click, and his feet up on the desk. Eddie noticed that Richie was also in shock from the fact his eyes were widened from behind his giant ass glasses.

The silence between the two was deafening. Eddie was crumbling in fear under the boys stare. This was it, he thought, he pissed off Richie Tozier and now he was going to die. Richie was going to kill him. Eddie was preparing for the worst. A blow to the head maybe? But it never came. Instead he was met with laughter. Richie's laughter.

"Geez, sorry short stack." The curly haired boy laughed.

Eddie groaned at the nickname. "Don't call me short stack." His eyes widened in shock again. Why was he saying this shit?

Richie laughed again, "well what would you like me to call you?"

Eddie thought carefully. Why was Richie acting like this. It completely goes against everything he's ever heard about the school bad boy. "Eddie." He said quickly.

Richie sat back in his chair with a smile, "Eddie. Eddie. Eddie spaghetti. Eds-"

"Just Eddie."

"Just Eddie." The curly haired boy repeated.

The silence returned. The two stared at each other as if they were in some weird staring contest. Richie was still smiling, looking satisfied with himself. Eddie took this time to study the boys features: crooked nose, chapped lips, cheeks lightly dusted with freckles. He didn't look that dangerous.

He actually looked kinda pret-

Eddie was the first one to break away from the stare when he turned back around in his seat. He was now looking down at his empty page.

Click

Eddie sighed.

___________

Barely twenty minutes passed before Eddie heard Richie throw a pen on the desk and sigh. Then Richie decided to try start a conversation.

"Psst.."

Eddie ignored him.

"Psssssttt Eddie,"

The boy still didn't answer earning another sigh for Richie.

"Eddie, Eddie Spaghetti, Eds. EdsEdsEds-"

"What, Richie?!" He whisper-shouted.

"What do you say we close that door?"

Eddie turned around too look at the boy behind him and found that Richie had leaned over his desk towards Eddie. "What?"

Richie's stunning brown eyes darted to the open door and then back to meet the boy in front of him. Eddie would be lying if he said that this didn't make him blush.

"Well we can't have a party with ol' Ritter watching us, now can we?" He began in a low voice, "so let's close the door."

"But the door is supposed to stay open."

Brown eyes rolled behind his pair of coke bottle glasses, "'the doors supposed to stay open!' Jeez Eds, don't be such a pussy."

Eddie flinched at the insult. "Shut up, trashmouth."

Richie dramatically put his hand on his heart, pretending to be hurt, "Oo ouch, Eds! You wound me! Not like I've been called that name by literally everyone in this fucking school."

Minutes of silence passes, the two boys never took their eyes of each other. Eddie noticed that Richie was looking at him expectantly. As if he was waiting for the small boy to retaliate. Eddie never did. Instead, he scoffed and turned back to his desk.

He heard shuffling, the chair next to him being pulled back, and felt an presence next to him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Richie looking at him. "What?" Eddie finally said. 

"You're pretty sexy when you're annoyed, Eds" the taller of the two said with a expressionless tone to match his face 

The smaller boy felt a blush rise to his cheeks before stuttering out a small "D-dont call me Eds."

A low chuckle escaped from Richie's throat, which only made Eddies cheeks turn a darker shade of red, as he wrapped his lanky arm around the doe-eyed boy's shoulder. He leaned in closer to the others ear, keeping a firm eye on the open door. "Waddaya say we close that door," he began, "and have us a little party?" 

"The door is supposed to stay open." Eddie pulled away from the boys grip.

Richie huffed, "You're no fun." 

___________

Mr. Ritter's head had poked in the door. The two boys watched the principle leave his office and walk down the hallway. Then nothing happened. Until Richie Tozier sprung from his seat and rush towards the open door, peaking his head out and looking both ways down the hall before turning his attention back to the door.

Eddie watched from his desk as the delinquent messed with the door. What the fuck is he doing he thought. When Richie moved away from the door it slammed shut, the sound echoing through the library. Richie returned to the seat next to Eddie.

"What the fuck did you do?" Eddie yelled slightly.

The dark haired boy snickered, "I fixed the door."

"Ha ha, very funny. Now fix it."

"Am I a genius or what?"

"Ritter is gonna kill us! Fucking fix it!"

"Fucking hilarious."

"Fix it, Richie!"

"Just shhhhh"

They both went quiet. Eddie hear Ritter's footsteps coming up the hallway and stopping right outside the library. A quiet "Goddammit" came from outside the door before the principle came bursting through the door. "Who closed that door?" he shouted.

Eddie didn't speak. Richie, obviously, did. 

"We're not supposed to move, remember? How're we supposed to know?"

Eddie could see Mr. Ritter's jaw clench. He was getting frustrated. Richie was known to have that effect on people. Ritter turned to Eddie. The boy knew what he was going to ask. Richie nudged Eddie underneath the table. 

"Uhm.. W-we were just sitting here like we're supposed to..." he murmured. Ritter ran a hand through his graying hair and turned around. The two boys exchanged a look. Richie smiled, a genuine smile, at Eddie and Eddie smiled back. 

Ritter turned around again, "Who closed that door?!" 

"I think a screw fell out of it, sir." Richie said, his tone underlined with sarcasm. 

"It just closed, sir," Eddie joined in, "We were just sitting here and it closed."

Eddie didn't know why he was helping Richie. He could just tell the truth right now and that would be it over. But he didn't want to, for some reason he couldn't bare the thought of what might happen if he did tell the truth. Richie would probably kill him. The moment Ritter stepped out the door, Richie would pounce on him. 'Hot' he thought, then he quickly shook that out of his head. 

Ritter took a step closer to the desk the two sat at, "Wheres the screw?" he asked calmly. 

"I don't know sir." The small boy said dumbly. He saw Richie try suppress a snicker. 

Ritter must have saw this too, he turned to the other boy and got closer. "Give me the screw." The principle spoke firmly. Richie looked up at him, his face expressionless, "I don't have it. Y'know sir, screws fall out all the time."

Ritter's eyebrows furrowed. "Give it to me, Tozier."

Eddie chimed in, confidently "Excuse me sir, but why would he steal a screw?" 

The old man's gaze turned to Eddie. The boys sense of confidence he'd built up faltered under the stare. "Watch it, young man!" Ritter spat venom. The old man turned towards the door. He dragged a chair with him and placed it front of the door, trying to prompt it open. It didn't work. Various pieces of furniture and a few muffled giggles from the boys later and Ritter had thrown his hands up in the air in frustration. 

"I'll be checking in every ten minuets, you hear? Every, Ten. Minuets." He pointed at the two sat behind the desk. 

"Go fuck yourself" Richie mumbled. But Mr. Ritter seemed to hear. The principle swiftly turned around. 

"Watch your language, Mr. Tozier. I'll be seeing you next Saturday." Ritter spat. 

Richie's sarcasm didn't falter, "Oh, boy. Whatever will i do?"

That only made Ritter more furious, "You just bought yourself another detention."

"Well, I am free, sir. But if you're gonna give me more I'll have to check my calendar."

"Good, cause you're gonna be booked! You done?" 

"No."

"Another! I'm doing society a favor!"

"Great."

"Oh, that's another one right there! I've got you, Tozier, for the rest of your life! You want another one?"

"Yes."

"You got it!"

Eddie watched the two bicker back and fourth in shock. When Richie met his gaze, the small boy mouthed 'Stop' to him. Richie didn't stop. 

"You through?" Ritter asked, cockiness hidden in his tone.

Richie turned back to Ritter, a smug smile resting on his face, "Not even close bud."

"Good, because you just got yourself another!"

"Do you honestly think I give a shit?" Richie glared at him. 

"Another."

Richie didn't speak. Eddie began to think that his confidence was finally cracking. 

"How many is that?" Richie spoke up after a while, the cockiness still prominent in his voice. 

"Eight. I've got you for two months, Tozier. You're mine."

Richie smiled, "I look forward to it, sir."

Ritter stepped away from the table, "I'm going to be right outside those doors. Do not make me come back in here." And with that he turned and exited the library, leaving the two boys alone once again. 

___________

The clock read eight-oh-seventeen. Eddie still hadn't started his essay. Neither had Richie, who had instead used the paper to make a paper fortune teller. 

"Eds. Hey Eds! Pick a color." 

Eddie lifted his head off the desk and turned to the boy next to him. He saw Richie looking at him with a grin on his face and the folded paper in his hands. 

"What?" The small boy rubbed his tired eyes. Richie held out the fortune teller. On top the words 'Blue', 'Red', 'Yellow' and 'Green' were scrawled in Richie's god awful handwriting. No seriously, it was barely readable. Eddie was surprised he was able to understand it. 

"Yellow." Eddie said plainly. He watched as Richie moved the paper while mumbling "Y-E-L-L-O-W." When he was done he looked back up to Eddie, "Oh-kay. Pick a number, six, nine, four or two?"

"2."

Richie opened up the folded piece and snickered to himself. Eddie's eyebrows quirked. "What? What does it say?" he asked. Richie looked up at him, a smug smile resting on his face. 

"Well, my dear Eds, it looks like I'm your new daddy."

The smaller boy scrunched his nose in disgust. "What the fuck?! It does not say that!" he said, repulsed. Richie laughed, "Look if you don't believe me!" 

Eddie snatched the paper from the other and looked down at it. Written in the Tozier boy's shitty writing was 'I fucked your mom.' Eddie scoffed. "Really? Mom jokes? You're fucking disgusting!" 

Richie said, "If I don't make them, Eds, who will?" Then he snatched the paper fortune teller from Eddie's hands, lay back in his chair and kicked his feet on the table. Eddie watched at the boy's eyes fluttered closed and slowed his breathing. Within a few minuets, there was snoring echoing around the room. 

Eddie couldn't deny, Richie was very pretty when he wasn't being an annoying piece of shit. Now, while he was sleep, Richie seemed calmer, softer than what Eddie would have expected the schools 'Bad boy', 'Delinquent', 'Bully' whatever you wanted to call him, to be. Maybe Richie wasn't so bad. He hadn't done anything to Eddie during this detention. In fact, he was kind to him, annoying the shit out of him sure, but still kind. Richie was the only thing keeping Eddie entertained during this. Without him Eddie was nearly sure he'd go insane sitting here by himself. 

The boy felt his eyes grow heavy, a yawn escaped him as he lay his head on the desk and his breathing slowed. 

___________

He was awoken by an air horn blasting through the room. 

Jerking his head up from the table, Eddie saw Ritter standing at the door, one hand in the air holding the horn, one hand on his hip. Automatically the boy turned his head to Richie, who was rubbing his eyes.

"Wake up!" Ritter shouted, "Wake up! I told you. No. Sleeping." 

Eddie sat up straight, Richie stretched his arms. 

Ritter stopped the air horn, "Who has to use the bathroom?"

"Me."

"Me."

___________

"I'm. So. Board!"

Richie was sitting on a railing holding a copy of 'The Great Gatsby'. Eddie watched him from the same desk he'd been sitting at for three hours. He said, "We both are, what are you going to do about it?"

Richie didn't answer. He flipped through the pages of the novel. In an awful impression of a British accent, Richie read, "His heart beat faster as Daisy's white face came up to his own. He knew that when he kissed this girl, forever wed his unutterable visions- Blah, blah, blah." He ripped the page out of the book and crumpled it into a ball. 

"What're you doing?! That's school property, you can't do that!" Eddie half-shouted. Richie looked at him with a blank expression that turned into a mischievous grin. He threw the paper ball at the boy behind the desk and it hit him in the face. Giggles erupted from Richie at the sight of the boys red, Eddie wasn't laughing. 

"What the fuck did you do that for?!" Eddie stood up from his chair and grabbed the paper ball. Richie didn't give him an answer, he just kept giggling. The smaller boy tightened his grip on the ball with his anger slowly bubbling inside him. That was something anyone who knew Eddie knew. He had a very short temper. He lifted his hand and threw the paper ball, which hit Richie in the chest. 

Richie ripped another page out of the book. He called, "That all you got Eds?" and threw the freshly made paper weapon at Eddie, which the doe-eyed boy dodged. Eddie moved to a shelf and grabbed a random book. Before he could rip out a page, he was hit by an object and heard Richie's chuckles from behind the shelf. 

"That's not fair!" Eddie called out, "I didn't even have a weapon!"

"All is fair in war, mi amor!" Richie answered in an Italian accent that Eddie would deem mildly offensive. The tall boy moved from behind the shelf, armed with another paper ball but his target was no where to be found. The next thing he knew, his side was hit by something much heavier than a paper ball. Looking up Richie saw Eddie standing on the side of the shelf where he had just came from and small book on the floor. 

Richie raised and eyebrow, a sly grin forming across his lips. "Oh, that's how you wanna play?"  
Eddie suppressed giggles and tried to keep a smug smile on his face. "All is fair in war, mi amor!" Eddie mocked in Richie's Italian accent before bolting behind another shelf of books for safety. Richie followed quickly after him. The chased each other around the library for a few minuets, Richie never getting close enough to catch the boy and Eddie running to fast for any book Richie threw to hit him. 

Eddie was laughing so much he didn't even realize he was running. It wasn't until he did realize that he was running that he stopped. He needed his inhaler. He slowed down and came to a stop between the row of desks they were told not to move from. Richie came after him, not registering the fact the small boy had stopped and running straight into him. They were both on the floor in seconds, Richie on top of Eddie, their legs intertwined. 

"Oh fuck." Richie said, his mouth dangerously close to the others. Eddie was blushing, that was obvious, but the asthmatic was almost certain that the delinquent's cheeks were a slight shade of pink. But that was impossible. Richie Tozier didn't blush. 

Richie began to push himself up off of Eddie. Their faces were now inches apart. Eddie stared at the boys eyes. Where they always this pretty? They were a brilliant shade of brown that severely outmatched his own. Around the pupils there were tiny hints of yellow, so tiny, you could only see them if you were this close. And no one has ever been close to Richie Tozier. 

After removing himself from on top of Eddie, Richie held out a hand to help the boy off the floor. Eddie accepted. He would be lying if he didn't think his hand fit perfectly with Richie's. "Sorry." Richie said with a low chuckle, "Didn't know you were a fucking good runner."

"I'm not." Eddie replied dryly. 

Richie said, "Better than you look."

"And how do I look?"

"Cute."

Eddie's breath hitched. He moved towards his backpack and rummaged through the front pocket for his inhaler. Richie watched him with concern in his eyes. "Hey, Spaghetti, you good?"

Eddie ignored him and placed the inhaler to his lips. Richie sat beside him on the floor. "You run pretty good for an asthmatic." He said. Eddie turned to face him. 

"It's fake." 

Richie looked at him, confused. "What?"

Eddie motioned towards the plastic inhaler in his hands. "The inhaler. It isn't real. Its flavored water." He said nonchalantly, like it was nothing. And to him it was. But to Richie, it wasn't. 

"What the fuck?! Why do you take it then?"

"My Mom gave it to me when i was a kid, told me it was real. Guess i'm just used to it. It helps." Eddie shrugged. 

"Fuck, that's awful."

"Told me I was sick too, allergic to everything she didn't like. For years I had to take these fake pills, go to hospital, get tested."

Richie said, "Jeez, your mom sounds like a piece of work." 

Eddie let out a dry chuckle. "That's one way to put it."

They sat in silence again. Comfortable silence. Eddie thought about the events that had just passed. Why the fuck did he tell Richie Tozier that?! It took him years to finally muck up the courage to tell Bill and Stan. So why did it come so easy to tell Richie? He was so tense around him this morning but it seemed that the more time he was around him the more comfortable he got. 

'You just think he's pretty' he thought, and he wasn't wrong. Richie was the most stunning boy Eddie had ever seen. From his crooked smile right down to his muddy boots. That's probably why so many girls fall for him. They swooned over him in the hallways when he passed. Eddie always thought they were being over dramatic, he didn't see the appeal of a five foot eight boy that was almost entirely legs, wore awful Hawaiian shirts and smelled of an ashtray but now while he was here in detention and inches away from him, Eddie understood why those girls swoon. He understood why they let him fuck them in the germ filled school bathrooms. He understood. 

"What about you then?" Eddie broke the silence. 

"What about me?"

Eddie moved so he was sitting crossed legged and directly in front of the other. "Your mom? She a piece of work?"

"No. No way. My mom is...she's great." Richie answered with a loving smile. The answer surprised Eddie. From what he was told, Richie's parents were scumbags. His mother was apparently a drunk and a whore. His father, a secret drug dealer. Together they'd get drunk, get high and beat the ever loving shit out of their son. At least...that's what they all said about them. 

Richie went on, "She's beautiful, she can cook and she's funny, fuck, shes so funny." 

"Really?" Eddie sounded more shocked than he intended and Richie must have noticed because he responded with, "You sound surprised?" 

"I- uh I," Eddie stammered, "I just didn't expect that."

Richie's pretty brown eyes turned cold and narrowed. "What'd you expect, Eds?"

Eddie was at a loss for words. Richie's face had changed from the happy, carefree expression it held just seconds ago. It had darkened and turned cruel. Eddie stiffened in fear. "W-well I mean the uh.. the rumors say-" He was cut off by Richie's taut voice. 

"That she's a whore?! That she and pops likes to get drunk and beat me around?!" Richie stood up abruptly with his fist clenched. He looked scary. This was the Richie Tozier everyone talked about. The one that pals around with Henry Bowers and hurts people that looks at him wrong. Yeah, this was that Richie.

Richie went on shouting, "Well they're FUCKING lies!"

The quivering boy on the floor bit his tongue to hold back tears forming in his eyes. He whispered, "'m sorry-" but Richie didn't hear, or he ignored him. 

"Don't you dare call my mom a whore!" Richie pointed a finger at the boy on the floor, "She doesn't deserve that shit! My dad, is a fucking dentist, you hear?! A dentist! Not a drug dealer! And they don't fucking beat me!"

And then he stopped yelling. He walked to the shelves they had been running around earlier, pulled out books and threw them around, roaring in the process. He ran off to the back of the library. Leaving Eddie crying softly on the floor, alone. 

___________

Ritter had come in a few minuets ago. He shouted at Richie to come back to his seat- Eddie ignored the fact his beautiful eyes were now red and puffy- and told them they had thirty minuets for lunch. Then he left again. 

They were in silence again, but not like the one before. No that was comfortable and this was the exact opposite. You could cut the tension with a knife. Eddie took a brown paper bag out of his backpack. Richie didn't move, just kept staring at the table. Eddie took out a sandwich. Richie still didn't move. 

Eddie was the first to speak. He spoke gingerly, "Do you uh...do you not have a lunch?"

Richie hummed. Eddie hummed. Silence again. 

Eddie felt bad to say the least. He hadn't intended to upset him and he should've known better than to believe stupid rumors. The past hour without Richie talking to him or telling a stupid joke about fucking his mom had been unbearable. He even started writing his damn essay. 

Enough was enough. Eddie slid his sandwich across the table. The other looked at it. Then at Eddie.

"Peace treaty." Eddie answered without being asked. 

Richie responded plainly. "Thanks."

Eddie watched as Richie took the sandwich, but he didn't eat it. He opened his mouth to say something but Eddie got there first.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For believing the rumors about your family."

Richie still didn't eat. His toneless voice rumbled in his throat, "Not your fault, everyone does."  
Eddie said, "No. It is. I'm sorry that everyone thinks your mom is...like that. I'm sure she's a nice lady."

"She is." Richie said wistfully, "She just...she doesn't that deserve that shit, y'know." 

"Yeah."

Silence again. Richie ripped the sandwich in half.

"Oh," Eddie spoke again, "And I'm sorry for beating your ass with a book."

Richie laughed. An actual laugh that rang through Eddie's ears like music. "Excuse me, I do happen to recall you being the one that called it off."

"I did not!"

"You stopped running!"

"You fell on me!"

"Oh do not act like you didn't enjoy that."

"Enjoy what?"

"Me on top of you."

Eddie scoffed and rolled his eyes, "You fucking wish, Trashmouth!"

Richie extended his hand, which held one half of Eddie's sandwich, and offered it to the other boy. Eddie smiled and took it. They ate in silence. But it was comfortable. Just like it was. 

___________

Richie told Eddie that he had heard Ritter going down the hallway. He'd asks Eddie if he wanted to have a little fun. And he was making that face that Eddie couldn't say no to. Next thing he knew Richie was leading him down the hall, his big hand holding Eddie's soft one. 

"How do you know where Ritter went?" Eddie asked. 

Richie answered, "I dont."

They walked further down the empty hall, turning into one lined with lockers. Eddie said, "We could get caught! Where are we going anyway?"

"My locker."Richie whispered. He turned around to Eddie, stopping in his tracks. "Being bad feels pretty good, huh?" he smirked. 

They stopped outside a locker with a messy 'R' carved into it . Richie told Eddie to stand on lookout. Which Eddie did. Once the locker was open, Eddie was appalled by the messiness of it but he didn't say anything. Richie pulled out a Ziploc bag filled with-

"Weed?!" Eddie whisper-shouted. 

"Mm hmm." Richie smiled, closing the locker and taking Eddie's hand back in his- even though there was no need for it, Eddie knew the way back, but he wasn't complaining. They walked back the way they came. Eddie's mind still on edge about the fact Richie had drugs in his locker. Down the hall they heard footsteps. Richie stopped. Then he turned around, still holding Eddie's hand, and ran. The unexpected turn had the small boy almost tripping over his own feet, but Richie's strong grip on him kept him up. The ran down hallways, turning corners, running up and down stairs until they were in they were at one of the locked side doors. 

"We're dead," Eddie said, "We are so dead!"

Richie looked like he'd had a spiritual awakening. "Nuh uh," He said breathy, "Just me."

Before Eddie could even ask what he meant Richie had his hand on the top of Eddie's denim jeans and stuffed his bag of weed down Eddie's pants. 

"What the hell?!" the boy shouted. Richie shushed him.

"Get back to the library. Don't lose that bag."

Eddie asked, "What about you?"

"Aw, you worried about me, Eds?"

Eddie blushed- he blushed a lot around Richie."

Richie laughed, "I'll be fine."

And with that, he was gone. Disappeared down the corridor, singing nursery rhymes at the top of his lungs. Eddie watched him with admiration before walking quickly towards the library.

___________

Minuets past. Eddie sat alone in the library waiting for thee door to open and Richie to walk through. Any second now, he told himself. But he also said that ten minutes ago. He thought about what Ritter might do when he found Richie. He'd probably give him detention for life. He probably already has. His mind wandered to Richie. Richie with his pretty eyes and messy hair. Richie with his stupid jokes and his constant flirting that Eddie loved. It was typical, just typical, for him to fall for the 'bad boy'. Like something out of a cheesy romance novel sitting on the many shelves around him. 

He could just see Stan's face if he told him. "He's trouble Eddie. Hangs around with Bowers. Henry Bowers. You're gonna get hurt." he'd tell him and Eddie would say something dumb like, "You don't know him like I do!" And Bill would chime in with, "You spent eight hours with the guy, you barely know him." Except Bill would stutter more. And they would both be right. But Eddie was to stubborn to let them be. So he'd probably do a lot of stupid things like ask Richie to sit with them at lunch, hang out with him after school. He'd probably even ask him out if he could muster up the courage. And that's where things would go wrong. Because Richie then had two options. Break Eddie's heart and tell the whole school- town even- that he was exactly what they said he was, a fairyboy, a queer, or play along with Eddie, go on a few dates, maybe kiss him if he was that dedicated and then tell Bowers everything and have his gang jump him at school. And yes there was the option that Richie might actually like Eddie back. But come on. This is Richie fucking Tozier we're talking about. He would never date someone like Eddie. He was a Loser. Bottom tier on the social chart. Oh. And, not to mention, the fact he was a boy. 

'But wouldn't it be great though?' he thought, 'wouldn't it be great if he did like you?' And it would. Eddie imagined them in the woods together holding hands and walking in that comfortable silence they had. He imagined them going to the movies, maybe a drive-in, and sharing popcorn and sipping on cherry cola. He imagined them at the quarry, swimming around together and splashing each other. He imagined Richie swimming around him, going under the water, pulling Eddie down with him and kissing the small boy under the dirty water. He imagined Richie kissing him in the woods, in the cinema, in the drive-in. He imagined Richie kissing him. 

Then he felt a sudden awareness of the Ziploc bag in his pants. He laughed loudly. He actually had weed stuffed down his underwear. Jesus, if his mother found out she'd have an aneurysm. He always wondered what getting high felt like. What would he be like high? For a moment, Eddie considered lighting it up, but he didn't have a lighter. Could you eat weed? Eddie saw people put on TV put it in cakes and brownies. Could you eat it raw? Would it being like this be considered raw? Eddie was a bit clueless when it came to things like this. Things his mother disproved of. 

He was cut off from his thoughts by a large bang coming from the back of the library. Eddie sat up immediately and turned towards the stairs where, the one and only, Richie Tozier had appeared. 

"Hey, Eds. Miss me?"

Eddie stood up and ran towards the boy, he didn't even notice the hole in the vent above him. "What the fuck!"

Richie shushed him and pushed him back to his seat. "Ritter will be here any minuet, okay?" He climbed under the table Eddie sat at, "So play it cool. I was never here."

Richie was right. Exactly one minuet later Mr. Ritter barged through the door. "What the hell was that!?" He yelled. 

Eddie looked at him dumbly- he even tilted his head slightly for extra effect- "What are you talking about, sir?" 

"I heard a ruckus from my office!"

Eddie said, "Really, sir, there was no ruckus."

Ritter didn't look convinced. Under the table, Eddie felt Richie's hand rise up his leg until it reached the inside of his thigh. Eddie tried not to make Mr. Ritter aware of the fact he was kicking the hidden boy. 

The principle looked around again. "Don't make me come in here again." he warned. And then left.

As soon as the door was closed Richie hopped out from under the table to on top of it. "Fucking dumbass." He mumbled under his breath. Eddie let Richie out to a barge of slaps. 

Richie winced, "Hey, what was that for?!" 

Eddie slapped him, "That was for... I genuinely don't know what you did back there. What, did you fall through the roof or something? Why were you even in the vents anyway? What happened when you ran down the hall? Where've you been for the past half hour?" Wh-"

Richie cut him off. "You talk to much, hummingbird." 

Eddie slapped him again, "And that was for what you did under the table." 

Richie laughed. Eddie did too. How could he not? Richie's laugh was contagious. 

Eddie asked, "So are you gonna tell me what happened or what?"

"Ritter caught me, locked me in a store closet so I climbed through vent." 

"Why?"

"Couldn't leave you here all by yourself now could I?"

Eddie was pretty used to blushing around Richie now, so he didn't even try to hide it. 

Richie leaned in closer to the other boy and said, "Have you still got my stuff?"

Eddie nodded. Richie clapped loudly and in a horrible imitation of a British man he said, "Well, pip pip and tally ho, my dear hummingbird! It's time to get 'high as all balls' as the youth say!"

The taller boy reached a hand towards Eddie's crotch which Eddie swatted away, red faced. Eddie took out 'the stuff'- as Richie put it- bag from his underwear and handed it to Richie. He slid of the table and walked away. "You coming Eds?" he called behind him.

Eddie hesitated. Was he going? His mother would kill him. She doesn't need to know. But she'd find out. Technically, he didn't have to smoke. He could just watch Richie get high. Oh that'd be a laugh. Richie acting all loopy. Loopy? Is that the right word? Eddie didn't know. Maybe now would be his chance to finally figure out what people are like when they're high. So was he going to go with Richie. Yes. For research purposes. 

He followed Richie to a sofa and table at the back of the library where Richie already had a blunt between his chewed lips and was holding a lighter up to it. He took a drag from it- Eddie tried to ignore Richie's long fingers and the way his cheeks caved when he inhaled- before turning to Eddie. "Best. Feeling. Ever!" He sighed and held out the blunt towards the boy, who was standing awkwardly next to the sofa. 

"Uh. No. No thanks. I can't. Asthma and all." He declined and Richie groaned. "You don't have asthma." Richie replied. 

Eddie let out a dry chuckle. "C'mon, Eds. It's great." the messy haired boy took another hit, "C'mon." Eddie shook his head. Richie pouted and Eddie was embarrassed to admit he thought it was adorable. 

"Oh shit!" Richie said suddenly, "I. Have an idea." Eddie rolled his eyes. "Oh boy." He said sarcastically. Richie shushed him. 

Richie grabbed the others are and pulled him onto his lap. He took another long drag from the blunt in one hand and held Eddie's face with the other. "Don't freak out, hummingbird." Richie mumbled. He quickly closed the gap between them. When Richie's rough lips met Eddies, he let out a small noise of surprise. Richie's tongue swept over Eddie's bottom lip until Eddie understood that meant 'open your mouth' so he did. Richie began to blow smoke slowly into Eddie's mouth. It took Eddie's brain a hot minuet to register that he was kissing Richie. Kissing Richie fucking Tozier. Richie pulled back after a while- longer than expected but still too short for Eddie's liking- Eddie didn't cough. He didn't feel anything. He almost thought it hadn't worked. But after a short time- and more of Richie's kisses- until his brain went fuzzy. 

To answer the question from earlier- What would Eddie be like high?- giggly. Very giggly. How could he not be? Every thing was just so damn funny to him. Richie just seemed to be his normal, laid back self. He was currently sprawled out on the sofa with one arm wrapped around the smaller boy. And Eddie was nuzzling into the curly haired boy's neck, giggling away to himself.

"What's so funny, Eds?" Richie asked. Eddie giggled again, "Evv-ree-thing!" 

They both laughed. Richie abruptly stood up much to the dismay of Eddie, who moaned and whined and desperately clung to Richie's torso. Richie pulled the whining boy up with him. He put his big hands on Eddie's waist. "What're you doing?" Eddie mumbled.

"Dance with me."

"There's no music."

Richie then began humming a slow tune. And then they were slow dancing. Together. In the library. Eddie stepped on Richie's feet a few- a lot- times but it didn't spoil the mood. And Richie laughed each time which made Eddie's cheeks flush. Richie's grip on the others waist tightened, "Do you-" he laughed, "Do you want me to show you how to actually do this?" He asked. 

"Yeah right," Eddie scoffed, "Like you actually know how to dance."

Richie gasped dramatically. He didn't retaliate with a quip, no, instead he began to take lead of the dance. And Eddie was shocked. Damn, Richie actually knew how to dance!

Richie smirked, "You looked surprised, hummingbird. The rumors not say anything about me dancing?" 

Eddie rested his head against Richie's chest, sighing dreamily as they danced. He wished they could stay like this forever. 

___________

"Who's this?" Eddie said pointing at a black and white photo of a smiling girl in Richie's wallet.

They where sitting on the floor opposite each other between the Romance shelf and the History shelf with all their belongings they brought with them spread out on the ground. Richie looked up from Eddie's green pencil case. "That's my mom." He said, "When she was like twenty."

Eddie looked back and fourth between the photo and Richie. He could see the resemblance. Curly dark hair, freckled, crooked nose. "Hmm," Eddie hummed, "You look like her." 

Richie chuckled to himself. "Think I got a picture of Pops in there too."

Eddie rummaged through the wallet and found another photo stuffed between crumpled dollar bills. It was a photo of a woman, Richie's mother, a man, Richie's father. The man had brown hair and a thin mustache. He was tall, from what Eddie could see, that was probably where Richie got his height. Richie's mother was wearing a floral dress, his father was wearing a white button up with the sleeves rolled up. They both stood over a table in what Eddie assumed was their kitchen. Birthday decorations hung on the wall and a cake on the table. Between them, sitting on a seat at a table, was a child. A child with messy black hair and giant glasses, wearing patterned button up and overalls, grinning happily and wearing a party hat. Eddie turned the photo over and saw something written on the back. 'Maggie, Went and Richie. Richie's 4th birthday" 

"Richie's 4th birthday." Eddie read. Richie leaned closer to see the picture. "Oh yeah," Richie took the photo from Eddie, "I remember that day." he said, looking at the picture longingly as if he wanted to go back to that moment more than anything. 

"They took me out of school early," Richie began, "Mom picked me up and we went to the park. I loved the swings. And we played until Pops got outta work. When we got home there were balloons everywhere and Mom brought a cake and started singing, but Ol' Mags can't hold a not to save her life. Though, I didn't really care. Then Pops took both of us out for ice-cream."

Eddie smiled. Richie's parents seemed to love their son and their son seemed to really love them. 

"Got any photos of your dad?" Richie asked. Eddie shook his head. He said, "He uh...he died. When I was a kid." 

"Oh," Richie scooted closer, "Oh shit, Eds, I'm sorry."

"Don't call me Eds." He said, but there was no real malice behind his words, there never was when it came to Richie.

"Right sorry."

Silence. Richie was the first to break it. "How'd he..die?" he asked, but he quickly added, "On-only if you want to tell me. If you don't that's fine. I get. Touchy subject. I-"

"You talk to much, hummingbird." Eddie said, "Cancer."

Richie didn't say anything. He just nodded. And Eddie preferred that to the usual 'I'm so sorry,' or 'That's so awful' 

Richie finally said, "And what about your mom? Why's she so-"

Eddie cut him off, "Overprotective. The word is overprotective. And, to be honest, I don't know. She's just always been like that."

"Got any friends?"

"Yeah, Bill and Stan."

Richie nodded, "They nice?"

"The best," Eddie spoke fondly, "They're great."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, Bill's a great artist. He drew a bunch of birds for Stan- Stan loves birds- and we go to the diner and the quarry and watch movies in Bill's basement." Eddie said softly. "What about your friends?" Eddie asked, even though he already knew who Richie was friends with.

"Bev's my only friend. She's dating this guy called Ben and he's pretty sweet. And Mike- he's home schooled- tags along now and then. But yeah, Beverly Marsh is my best friend."

"What about Bowers?"

"What about him?"

"Aren't you two friends?"

"Are the only things you know about me from the rumors?"

Eddie's face flushed in embarrassment. He nodded slightly. Richie giggled. 

"Okay then, what've you heard?" Richie asked. 

Eddie hesitated before answering him, he may as well start with the worst, "That you killed Betty Ripson."

"Do you believe it?"

"No."

"What else?" The tall boy asked. 

"That you had a threesome with Beverly Marsh and Greta Bowie in the bathrooms?" He said that more of a question than a statement. 

"Bev is my best friend," Richie said calmly, "She's in a relationship. And I wouldn't fuck Greta with a ten foot pole." He laughed.

"But have you-" Eddie said without thinking about it. 

Richie raised an eyebrow, "Have I what?" 

"Have you...fucked people in the bathrooms?" Eddie mentally cringed and held down a gag. That sentence will never not be disgusting to him.

"Jealous Eds?" Richie smirked, "Yes. I have."

Eddie couldn't hold down the gag anymore, "That's disgusting!" He screeched, "Do you know how many germs are in there? They barely clean those things here. And you got naked there. Ugh!"

Richie laughed loudly, "Yeah, it was pretty gross." Eddie couldn't help but crack a smile. "Who was it?' He asked.

"No one important." Richie dismissed, "Have you ever fucked someone?"

"..."

Richie leaned back onto the shelf behind him, "I'll take that as a no."

Eddie didn't know what to say to that. Richie must have sensed his discomfort because he placed a hand on Eddie's leg and said, "Hey, it doesn't matter if you have or not. For us, guys I mean, it's supposed to be a big thing. Like, were expected to be sleeping with girls as soon as we hit puberty. And girls are told to stay virgins until marriage. So how does that work? The whole system, it's fucked up!"

"It's fucked up.." Eddie repeated quietly, comforted by the others words. 

Richie's eyes narrowed as a question came across his mind. "You're a nice guy, Eddie." he said curiously. Eddie almost flinched at the use of his actual name. Richie went on, "And, dispite the school being a load of a shit, they don't usually put nice guys in Saturday detention. I mean, regular after school detention maybe but- My point is. What'd you do to got sent here?"

Eddie looked down at the floor. It was only a matter of time before he got asked this. But he wasn't ready to answer. "What'd you do?" He asked. 

"You kidding, Eds, I breathe and they put me here." he chuckled dryly. 

"But you said the rumors weren't true." Eddie said harshly. 

"So?"

"So you're not the 'bad boy' everyone says you are. So you must've done something real bad to get sent here. So. What. Did. You. Do?" Eddie had no idea why he was being so harsh. He always got like this when he didn't want to talk about something. Stan said it was a form of fight or flight. And he couldn't exactly leave the library.

"Jesus, Eddie. No need to get so defensive." Richie turned away from the boy in front of him. Eddie suddenly felt a pang of guilt hit him. But he didn't say anything. He couldn't. There was more silence. Lasted for about six minuets- which felt more like six hours to Eddie. It was unbearable. 

"Why do people say those things about you?" Eddie asked, breaking the silence. Richie still didn't look at him. His gaze seemed more interested on the carpeted floor. "What?" he asked tonelessly. 

Eddie repeated, "The rumors. Why do they say those things? Why you?"

Richie would usually chuckle or smile when Eddie asked him something like this, but not this time. He couldn't be sure, but Eddie swore he saw a look of regret flash across the others face. Richie finally opened his mouth, "Well, Eddie," Still wasn't using his dumb nicknames, "I wasn't always the lovely piece of sunshine I am today, believe it or not." He said sarcastically. 

"Oh?" Eddie asked, encouraging him to explain more. And he did. Richie told him, "You do one bad thing in this town and that molds peoples opinions of you. People just can't let anything go." 

Eddie pressed further, "And what did you do?" 

"Well aren't you just full of questions all of a sudden!" The dark haired boy snapped. Eddie flinched a bit. Out of the corner of his eye, Richie saw this and his face softened, "Sorry."

"'s okay."

Richie finally looked at him and Eddie immediately lost himself in Richie's eyes. "Y'know that old house? The one on Neibolt Street?" Richie asked.

Eddie nodded.

"Well," Richie shifted a bit, "It burned down."

Eddie nodded and waited for Richie to go on, but he didn't. Richie watched him, expectantly and sad. Eddie titled his head slightly because he didn't understand. Then, after a beat of silence, he connected the dots. "You set the fire."

Richie looked away again. "I was thirteen." He began, "I hung out with the wrong people-"

"Bowers."

Richie nodded, "So, one night, we were fucking around on Neibolt- Patrick was doing his makeshift flame thrower trick- and Belch pulls out these bottles." 

Eddie watched him, wide-eyed and quiet. Richie went on, "We all take a few swigs and Vic and I were laughing away then Patrick takes out a cloth and a bottle and hands it to Belch. Patrick dares Belch to light it up and through it at one of the houses. Belch said fuck no. Patrick turns to Vic. Vic says no way in hell. Henry says 'Tozier will do it" and hands me the bottle. I say no. Henry asks if I'm a pussy. I say no. He tells me to do it or I'm out of the gang..." He trailed off. Eddie could see tears forming in his beautiful brown eyes. He placed a hand on Richie's shoulder mumbling 'it's okay' over and over again. 

"I didn't think about it, y'know." Richie struggled to hold back his tears, "I didn't stop to see if there were people inside- Fuck what if there were people inside?! I could've killed them." Eddie watched hot tears roll down the others cheeks, "All because I was too fucking scared to be kicked out of the group. To be friendless. They weren't even my fucking friends!" Richie sobbed and Eddie quickly wrapped his arms around the boy and pulled him into a tight hug. Eddie didn't think about Richie's snot and tears on his shit. 

"It's okay," Eddie whispered but he wasn't sure the other heard him over his sobs, "it's okay."

"I fucking threw the shit, and they all ran! They fucking ran and left me!"

"They weren't your friends, 'chee."

They sat in the embrace of each other for a while until Eddie pulled away. 

"They found painkillers in my locker." Eddie said. 

"What?"

"The reason I got detention. They found painkillers in my locker."

Richie scoffed, "Can't believe they put you in here for some painkillers."

"It was...more than one should normally have." Eddie whispered. 

Richie's face dropped and Eddie assumed he made a connection, but went on. "Larry Kenne found me in the bathroom...taking my fake meds. Placebos."

"Why'd you have so many painkillers, Eds?" Back to the nicknames.

Eddie ignored him, "He thought they were something else."

"Why'd you have all those painkillers, Eddie?"

"So did I to be honest." He chuckled dryly.

"Eds-"

"He told a teacher. They searched my locker,"

"Why did you have-"

"And found the painkillers." 

"Why did you have so many painkillers?" Richie asked again.

"...It's fucking hard, Richie." Eddie felt tears forming in his own eyes, "My mom's a bitch! An overbearing bitch! And- and Bowers makes my life hell! Every-fucking-day!"

"Eds-"

"It would've been all over. All done. If I'd only taken the right pills out of my locker." 

They were both crying now. On the library floor. Like a scene out of a movie. 

Richie sniffed, "I almost killed Henry Bowers, that's why I'm here."

Eddie laughed. Then cried. Then laughed again. Richie followed that process. 

"He was just talking shit and I had enough of him running his mouth. I blacked out and next thing I knew I was on top of him and he was unconscious and all bloody and beating the shit out of him. Bev was screaming bloody murder and pulled me off him." Richie laughed and then his faced dropped again. "You tried to kill yourself, Eddie."

Eddie sighed and wiped a tear from his cheek, "Yeah."

Richie spoke, wobbly, "I...listen, Eddie. It doesn't have to end like that. You can talk to people-"

Eddie felt rage built up inside him at the familiar words, "Do you know how many times I've heard those exact words?!" Eddie spat. "'Oh, Eddie, you can always talk to us we're here for you' and then when I do talk to them, they just tell me 'You're being so negative, Eddie! Just be happy, Eddie!' It's all bullshit! No one cares about me! They think they do, but when I need them they fucking leave!"

"But I care! I'm not going anywhere." Richie moved to place a hand on Eddie's cheek but the other boy swatted it away.

"Why? Why do you care so much?!"

"Because I'm your friend!"

"Are you?!"

Richie looked hurt by his words, he even let out a small whimper. "What's that supposed to mean, Eds?" He croaked out. 

"Don't call me Eds!" Eddie shouted louder than he intended too, Richie looked like he might breakdown again, "What does it matter anyway?! None of this will matter on Monday!"

"Jesus Christ, Eds- Eddie," Richie corrected, "What are you on about?!"

"I mean, on Monday, are we even gonna look at each other?! No! Because you're Richie Tozier, bad boy, lone wolf, delinquent and I'm Eddie Kaspbrak, queer, fairyboy, Loser! We don't talk or hang out! Because that's the way things are and some eight hour detention doesn't change that!" Eddie was practically screaming now, he was worried Ritter might come in but, it didn't stop him. He needed to get out everything he'd been holding in. 

"Of course it does!" Richie retaliated. 

"How? How does it?"Eddie leaned in closer, getting in Richie's face. 

"Because- Because I-" Richie didn't finish his sentence. But he didn't need to, he was sure slamming his lips into Eddie's made his point. The kiss wasn't perfect. It didn't feel like the ones before but, that might have been because they were high. Their teeth clashed, Richie's lips were dry and chapped and Eddie didn't quite know what to do with his hands. Like, where the fuck do you put them when you're kissing someone? But anyway, the kiss was magical to Eddie. 

They pulled apart after what felt like an eternity- which was still too soon for both their liking- and Richie was the first to speak, "That change things?" he asked, not sarcastically but genuinely asking. 

Eddie nodded frantically, running his hands through Richie's hair and pulling him into another kiss. And Richie was not complaining. 

They pulled away again. Richie leaned back on the shelf, "I think...I'm in love with you." he said, breathlessly and Eddie chuckled, "Richie Tozier? In love? Gasp! I heard that was impossible."

"Well, don't believe everything you hear, Eddie." Richie laughed. 

Eddie told him, "Call me Eds."

"But I thought yo-"

"It's grown on me."

Richie smiled that crooked smile that Eddie had grown to adore. Eddie moved so he was sitting next to the other boy and he rested his head on Richie's shoulder. Richie turned and planted a soft kiss on the smaller boy's head. Then he said, "Yep, definitely love."

"After only seven hours?" Eddie asked, looking up into Richie's eyes- his pretty chocolate eyes- and Richie nods. "I don't believe in that 'love at first sight bullshit' but you," Richie smiled, "might've changed my mind."

Eddie grinned. He was on cloud nine right now. "Really?"

Richie told him, "How could you not? Look at you! You're beautiful. With your doe eyes and freckles. You're just so cute cute cute," Richie pinched the others cheek, "And then, on top of all that, you're funny. And smart. And you talk so much, but that's okay! Because I love the sound of your voice. You're like a hummingbird, my little hummingbird."

"Your little hummingbird." Eddie repeated, smiling to himself. He really like the sound of that. 

"I'm sorry for shouting at you," Richie said, "just because you listened to what people said about me...about my mom and dad."

Eddie cut in, "No no no, it's okay! I'm sorry for believing those fucking lies. Your mom sounds like a really nice person. And your dad."

"They'd love you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Richie confirmed, "You should come over sometime."

"I'd like that. A lot."

___________

Eight hours had come and gone quicker than the two boys had expected, or wanted, and they were waiting in the library like they were at the start- only now their seats had shifted closer together and their hands were intertwined under the table- waiting for Ritter to come in and let them go home. 

Only, neither of them wanted to leave anymore. Because here, inside the walls of the old school library, they had created a new world that existed only to them where they had been through a lifetime together, even if it was only eight hours. And now when they walked outside they would no longer be in that world. They would be in the world of rumors and lies. Of bullies and overprotective mothers. The world where something different- like the relationship they built- was automatically evil. And neither of the two were ready to accept that. 

Ritter had opened the door but he didn't say anything. Not even when he saw Richie in the library and not in the store closet where he left him. The principle stood by the door while the two gathered up their stuff and he only spoke when Richie walked past him.

"See you next week, Mr. Tozier."

Richie nodded, "You bet sir." And then he stopped in his tracks and pulled something out of his pocket. The screw from the door. Richie said, "Found this hanging around, thought you'd want it back." They both laughed. 

The boys walked down the hallway, hand in hand. 

"Guess you wont be seeing me next Saturday," Richie said, "Or the next eight after that."

Eddie laughed to himself, "Oh, I don't know," he said, "Maybe I'll skip a few classes, beat up Bowers, get a few detentions."

"You'd do that for me, Eds?"

"Well, I can't have you sitting in that library all alone, now can I?" Eddie smirked. 

"No," Richie squeezed Eddie's hand slightly, "No I don't think you can."

When they got to the main entrance of the school, they didn't go out immediately. 

Eddie asked, "I'll see you on Monday though, wont I?"

"Of course, unless you forget about me." Richie chuckled. 

"After the impression you made, impossible." 

They laughed together, reminiscing on the days events. Eddie heard his mothers car horn sounding off in the parking lot. 

"Your mom?"

"Yeah."

Richie sighed, the realization that the day had finally come to an end finally hitting him, "Guess we should get going, huh?"

"Probably. But I will see you on Monday. And we'll talk."

"Don't know how I could stop myself from talking to such a cutie like you."

Eddie leaned into kiss him and Richie closed the gap. One more kiss. But it wouldn't be their last. This wasn't goodbye. 

"See you around, hummingbird." Richie said when they pulled away. Then he held open the door, just like he did at the start of the day. Eddie walked out and heard another honk from his mother's car. Richie stood at the steps, watching the boy he loved walk towards his car. 

As soon as Eddie opened the car door his mother rattled off her questions. "Why are you late?! You scared me half to death! What did you do? Did you study? Who's that boy? Was that Richie Tozier?! Eddie, don't tell me you've been hanging around Richie Tozier?! Do you know what they say abo-"

Eddie tuned her out. He didn't care what she had to say about him. She didn't know him. Not like he did. He looked out the window and saw Richie still standing there at the top of the school steps. Eddie smiled at him. Richie smiled back. They stared at each other for a while until Eddie assumed his mother was done ranting because he felt the car start up. Richie got smaller and smaller as they drove away and the last he saw was Richie's arm in the air waving. But he wasn't waving goodbye. 

Because they knew this wasn't goodbye. Things had changed from what they had been eight hours ago. And they weren't changing back. 

"See you around, hummingbird" Richie's voice rang through his mind like a song. And he smiled. Turning around in his seat, Eddie mumbled:

"See you on Monday, 'Chee."

And he would.


End file.
